The Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages is committed to the scientific study of language as an integral part of mind. We emphasize interdisciplinary research and training that draws on knowledge and methods from a wide range of related disciplines such as philosophy, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, engineering, and education, with the goal of nurturing scholarship and advancing knowledge of language, its structure, use and acquisition.

Linguists of the department research actively on four strategic areas of development: Theoretical and Comparative Linguistics, integrating linguistic theories with the study of Modern Languages from a cross-linguistic, comparative perspective, and with a focus on Chinese languages; Language Acquisition which encompasses first language acquisition, second language acquisition, bilingual acquisition and sign language acquisition; Bilingualism which investigates the acquisition and processing of two or more languages; and Sign Linguistics which encourages the extension of contemporary linguistic theories to cover languages in the manual-visual modality. These four areas represent the major new sub-disciplines in the field of Linguistics, having great potential for collaborative research with other disciplines such as Psychology, Speech and Hearing Science, Information and Systems Engineering, Education and Medicine.

Our Ph.D. and M.Phil. programmes in Linguistics emphasizes foundational training in the core areas of linguistic theory, and original research that sheds light on the properties of language, mind and brain. We encourage research into different language phenomena pertinent to Hong Kong, China and the Asian-Pacific region, with emphasis on general theory and methodology. The research theses completed at this department aim to 　unravel underlying regularities by integrating general theories of language structure, language acquisition and language use with the in-depth study of the languages of Hong Kong and the region from a comparative perspective.

Doctor of Philosophy/Master of Philosophy

1. General admissions requirements of the Graduate School
2. Admissions information for applicants
3. Programme requirements
4. Study scheme
5. Online application

Master of Arts in Linguistics / Master of Arts in Chinese Linguistics and Language Acquisition

1. General admissions requirements of the Graduate School, CUHK
2. Programme requirements
   • MA in Linguistics
   • MA in Chinese Linguistics and Language Acquisition
3. Online application

Submitting Your Application Early:

The official application period for the two MA programmes is between September of the year and the end of February of the following year. The admission exercise will be conducted on a rolling basis. Applications will be reviewed as they are received. In case the MA admission quotas are filled by the end of December of the year, we may not be able to consider applications received after December. We strongly encourage prospective students to submit their applications early (i.e. between September and December of the year).

Important Notes:

• • There have been reports about alleged use of fraudulent qualification documents by master’s programme applicants in some local institutions. Applicants are reminded that the use of fraudulent documents for admission could constitute a serious criminal offence according to the law in Hong Kong. Applicants should always submit genuine documents in their applications.
  • Also, we have NOT partnered with any education agencies to fast-track or guarantee admission. ALL applications have to go through the SAME admission procedure.